DeMar DeRozan..6th man of the year?

Demar DeRozan IMO is an obvious choice to be bumped to the second unit this year. It may not start out that way but should be looked at. Considering Calderon's familiarity with Derozan already and the need for a scoring punch/1st option on offense in the reserves Derozan would fit that role to a T.

Starting would be a pretty solid defensive line-up of

Pg - Lowry
Sg - Ross
Sf - Fields
Pf - Bargnani
C- Valanciunas

Second unit

Pg - Calderon
Sg - Derozan
Sf - Kleiza
Pf - Davis
C - Johnson

One thing you notice about the second unit is Calderon has played with all of them so there is not much chemistry building required. Derozan becomes the #1 option of the second unit (he will also play with starters at times in games) and plays with players who he is familiar with. If he starts he is adjusting to Lowry while still remaining the 2nd or 3rd option. Calderon will be a grand facilitator playing with Amir,Derozan, & Kleiza. If you switch Ross to the second unit he becomes their best scorer as well (arguably Kleiza on some nights) but is still a rookie that you're relying on to be #1 option on the floor. If Ross can start and play good D he will still remain in the flow of offense but will not have the pressure of leading the charge. Bargnani, Lowry, and Fields can and will score. You could argue that Ross would have to get used to Lowry as well, same with Fields and Bargs, however Bargnani isn't as dependent on his pg for his offense and Fields is in the same situation regardless and doesn't require the ball as much or for it to be hand wrapped for him like Derozan.

Casey needs to make Derozan realize it is a tactical move and not a demotion, it is not to say Ross is a better player. It simply gives the Raptors a two headed monster. Line-up A & B if you will.

Many line-ups are going to be tried but for a team without a "superstar" the depth of the raptors is what will keep us in games and I feel Derozan if accepting can carve out a role as our go to scoring punch off the bench. A younger, stronger, more athletic Barbosa playing for his job with more leash to play for it.

Not gonna happen (winning the award). Even if he does all the things you are mentioning (changing roles for the good of the team, working with Calderon against 2 unit players, etc) Derozan wont get the award. If any Raptor has a chance it would be Calderon for facilitating all of the above. Plus Jose is 100% coming off the bench this year, so he will have more gel time with who ever is on the unit and is, frankly, a better player than Derozan at this point.

I wouldn't mind the idea of him coming off the bench. He could be a poor man's James Harden. We could do like OKC did and start the better defensive player to try to slow the opponents scoring easy then hit them with scoring off the bench. But I did say poor man's James Harden so he won't be getting 6th man anytime soon.

Relegating DeRozan to the bench in favor of Ross (who's still considered something of a project) would be sending a pretty clear message to DD (and his agent) that he's not in the team's long term plans, and would effectively burn the bridge between the two parties. Depending on how you feel about DeRozan and his role with this team going forward, you can view that as a positive or a negative.

If they do reach that point, I'd rather they try and trade him so that they 1) get max value back for him while his stock hasn't yet taken a hit from coming off the pine and 2) avoid any potential locker room problems that may come from one of the longer tenured players getting his starting spot taken by an unproven rookie.

Just to be clear, barring injury I personallay don't think DeMar is going to be asked to come off the bench behind Ross this season. If anything they would start DD at SF and ask Fields to come off the bench. HOWEVER drafting Ross is a clear message that the SG position needs serious improvement, and gives BC a lot of leverage when negoitiating DeMar's new contract.

It could be. But both these players are considered the best at defense at their respective positions on the roster. Valanciunas is very likely to start anyway. I don't see this as lineup to start the season unless its something talked about early enough for the team to get everyone (media, fan base) behind the idea that it's for balance and scoring punch and not a demotion. Derozan accepting this is key. But since he's started his whole career it is unlikely in the beginning unless Ross has a real good camp.

Whether he is 6th man worthy depends on the year he has. He'd likely be in the talks if he has improved like people are convinced he has.

It could be. But both these players are considered the best at defense at their respective positions on the roster. Valanciunas is very likely to start anyway. I don't see this as lineup to start the season unless its something talked about early enough for the team to get everyone (media, fan base) behind the idea that it's for balance and scoring punch and not a demotion. Derozan accepting this is key. But since he's started his whole career it is unlikely in the beginning unless Ross has a real good camp.

Whether he is 6th man worthy depends on the year he has. He'd likely be in the talks if he has improved like people are convinced he has.

For a younng player like DeMar, whom is coming off his rookie scale contract, this is a big year, as this next contract could be the biggest of his entire career. He has started all his career and to be asked to come off the bench the year his contract is up is about the worst thing management can do to him. It completely diminishes how other teams whom might be interested in him, perceive him which equals fewer $$$. I don't know how he could accept that without being unhappy.

For a younng player like DeMar, whom is coming off his rookie scale contract, this is a big year, as this next contract could be the biggest of his entire career. He has started all his career and to be asked to come off the bench the year his contract is up is about the worst thing management can do to him. It completely diminishes how other teams whom might be interested in him, perceive him which equals fewer $$$. I don't know how he could accept that without being unhappy.

I'd agree. There's virtually no way that DeRozan and his camp take a move to the bench with a smile on their faces. It could easily cost him $10-12 million dollars next summer.

Ross is better suited as the sixth man in my opinion. Only because of his ability to shoot the ball better and create off the dribble. The best of sixth men are able to shoot and create for themselves. Guys like Barbosa, Crawford, Harden, Ginobili, Jamison, etc.

Plus, starting two rookies is a recipe for inexperience and losing. Derozan at this moment is the better player, depending on how both seasons go, we don't know by how much.

Derozan is a very good scorer, inefficient, but so are the many great scorers in the league.

Although, if Derozan doesn't work defensively, or show and significant improvements, he could most definitely be on the way out.

It could be. But both these players are considered the best at defense at their respective positions on the roster. Valanciunas is very likely to start anyway. I don't see this as lineup to start the season unless its something talked about early enough for the team to get everyone (media, fan base) behind the idea that it's for balance and scoring punch and not a demotion. Derozan accepting this is key. But since he's started his whole career it is unlikely in the beginning unless Ross has a real good camp.

Whether he is 6th man worthy depends on the year he has. He'd likely be in the talks if he has improved like people are convinced he has.

Likely, or not likely. I doubt he starts straight out of the gate. The reason is the inexperience factor, and just trying to transition into the NBA game. It's not easy, no matter how good you are fundamentally. Unless you have Lebron James, or Duncan, or Anthony Davis entering their rookie seasons, starting a rookie right out of the gate isn't the best.

We did do that with Derozan though in his rookie season, but we had experience with Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu. This team now doesn't have great experience. There isn't much mentoring either. Our veteran is Landry Fields if you think of it.

Likely, or not likely. I doubt he starts straight out of the gate. The reason is the inexperience factor, and just trying to transition into the NBA game. It's not easy, no matter how good you are fundamentally. Unless you have Lebron James, or Duncan, or Anthony Davis entering their rookie seasons, starting a rookie right out of the gate isn't the best.

We did do that with Derozan though in his rookie season, but we had experience with Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu. This team now doesn't have great experience. There isn't much mentoring either. Our veteran is Landry Fields if you think of it.

I'm expecting to see the starting lineup of:

PG: Lowry
SG: Derozan
SF: Fields
PF: Bargnani
C: A. Johnson/Gray

Fields is 24 years old and has only played two seasons in the league.. would never consider him a veteran in any shape or form. Our veterans are Jose and Andrea.

The NBA game is different, but JV has had experience playing with and against vets in Europe. There is a lot of buzz about him too. I could see Casey throwing him in right away to see what he can do.. he may play only a few minutes but he could start right off the bat.

Likely, or not likely. I doubt he starts straight out of the gate. The reason is the inexperience factor, and just trying to transition into the NBA game. It's not easy, no matter how good you are fundamentally. Unless you have Lebron James, or Duncan, or Anthony Davis entering their rookie seasons, starting a rookie right out of the gate isn't the best.

We did do that with Derozan though in his rookie season, but we had experience with Chris Bosh and Hedo Turkoglu. This team now doesn't have great experience. There isn't much mentoring either. Our veteran is Landry Fields if you think of it.

I'm expecting to see the starting lineup of:

PG: Lowry
SG: Derozan
SF: Fields
PF: Bargnani
C: A. Johnson/Gray

I expect the same lineup to start except Val. at center. Aaron Gray will likely start against stronger centers rather than come off the bench to log heavy minutes. As long as Amir is on the roster I think he will play a role but with Davis improving and deserving equal time, it will not be at pf. It will be centre on the second unit.

I also think there is no way you see Landry not starting after the contract. I expect him to completely turn around this seasona as well and earn it.

Fields is 24 years old and has only played two seasons in the league.. would never consider him a veteran in any shape or form. Our veterans are Jose and Andrea.

The NBA game is different, but JV has had experience playing with and against vets in Europe. There is a lot of buzz about him too. I could see Casey throwing him in right away to see what he can do.. he may play only a few minutes but he could start right off the bat.

I meant my definition of veteran, was experience. He is the most experienced on this team. Playing with two superstar players, been in the highest story in the league (linsanity), made the playoffs two years on the row.

If you look at our consensus lineup of Lowry, Derozan, Fields, Bargnani, Valanciunas... Lowry and Fields are by far the most experienced.